2012 Draft Prep: Strategies for second overall

The No. 2 overall pick could turn out great for the owner who favors running back over quarterback. If Aaron Rodgers is drafted at No. 1 overall, then you are sitting pretty with Arian Foster with the second selection.

Pick-by-pick strategies

Our Jamey Eisenberg and Dave Richard share a unique draft strategy for each position in a standard 12-team draft.

Most likely, Foster will go with the first pick, which should leave you with the choice of Ray Rice, LeSean McCoy or Rodgers. We'll assume this league, like most, will look at running back first, and Rice is our selection here.

This is a 12-part series outlining a strategy for you to use with each pick. Dave Richard and I are looking at all 12 picks individually in a 14-round draft and giving you an idea of what positions to target in each round. You can see what we did at No. 1 overall here.

We'll highlight some players who should be available with each pick, and hopefully this is a guide you can use on Draft Day in standard and PPR formats with a lineup of QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, TE, FLEX (RB/WR/TE), K, DST and five reserve spots.

Editor's note: The percentages listed are what position you should target based on that round for each pick.

Round 1

Standard

QB

20%

RB

80%

WR

0%

TE

0%

PPR

QB

20%

RB

70%

WR

10%

TE

0%

As we said with the No. 1 overall pick, there is a chance Rodgers could come off the board with this selection after Foster, or Foster could be sitting there if Rodgers is taken first. But this pick should come down to Rice vs. McCoy, and we'll take Rice even now that he got a huge payday heading into training camp. We expect him to have another big season, and he has slightly more upside than McCoy. While McCoy was the better Fantasy option last year, Rice wasn't exactly shabby with 2,000 total yards and 15 touchdowns. He also was the better receiver with 76 catches compared to 48 for McCoy, which gives him a significant edge in PPR formats.Players you can get here: Arian Foster, Ray Rice, LeSean McCoy, Aaron RodgersMy selection at No. 2 standard: Ray RiceMy selection at No. 2 PPR: Ray Rice

Round 2

Standard

QB

20%

RB

30%

WR

40%

TE

10%

PPR

QB

20%

RB

30%

WR

40%

TE

10%

I prefer to wait on a quarterback and tight end as long as possible, but sometimes it's difficult to pass up value when it's staring you in the face. And Average Draft Position here suggests you might have the chance at Rob Gronkowski in a standard league (he will be long gone in PPR formats, as will Jimmy Graham). He's the No. 1 tight end on most draft boards, and he should provide tremendous production with this selection. In PPR formats, you should pull the trigger on Fred Jackson if he's available or Wes Welker if he falls. We'll go with Jackson here since Welker will likely go in Round 2, and the same goes for Darren Sproles, who would be a steal at this selection if he's somehow still available. You should still have the chance at a solid receiver in Brandon Marshall or A.J. Green in Round 3.Players you can get here: Fred Jackson, Jamaal Charles, Darren Sproles, Ahmad Bradshaw, Wes Welker, A.J. Green. Brandon Marshall, Julio JonesMy selection at No. 23 standard: Rob GronkowskiMy selection at No. 23 PPR: Fred Jackson

Round 3

Standard

QB

20%

RB

20%

WR

50%

TE

10%

PPR

QB

20%

RB

20%

WR

50%

TE

10%

For owners in both leagues, it's time to consider your No. 1 receiver, and the criteria should be simple. You want someone who is heavily involved, especially in the red zone, with the chance of a high volume of catches in PPR leagues. We're going with Green here in both formats. Green excelled as a rookie with 65 catches for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns, but he has the potential for 80-plus catches, 1,200 yards and double digits in scores. He also could lead the NFL in targets (he had 116 last year) with the Bengals lacking a strong running game and a true No. 2 receiver.Players you can get here: Fred Jackson, Jamaal Charles, Ahmad Bradshaw, Wes Welker, A.J. Green. Brandon Marshall, Julio JonesMy selection at No. 26 standard: A.J. GreenMy selection at No. 26 PPR: A.J. Green

Round 4

Standard

QB

30%

RB

20%

WR

40%

TE

10%

PPR

QB

20%

RB

20%

WR

40%

TE

20%

When you draft a quarterback or tight end in the first two rounds, you are likely going to find slim pickings at running back at this spot when it comes to starting options. With the choices not exactly sexy here based on ADP, we'll take a player with more value in Dez Bryant as our No. 2 receiver. We should be able to get one of the running backs listed below coming back around, and a good tip when you draft next to swing picks (No. 1 and No. 12) is to see what the other owner needs. If they are set at running back then you can safely take a receiver here. In the PPR league, we have two solid running backs and can lock up a standout receiver or even a tight end depending on who is there. In this scenario, we should have a shot at Aaron Hernandez. Even with the Patriots loaded in their receiving corps, there are some predicting 80-plus catches for Hernandez this year, which would make him a steal in this round.Players you can get here: Tony Romo, Reggie Bush, Shonn Greene, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Isaac Redman, Dez Bryant, Jeremy Maclin, Aaron Hernandez, Antonio GatesMy selection at No. 47 standard: Dez BryantMy selection at No. 47 PPR: Aaron Hernandez

Round 5

Standard

QB

30%

RB

40%

WR

30%

TE

0%

PPR

QB

30%

RB

30%

WR

40%

TE

0%

Running back is now somewhat of a priority for owners in standard leagues, and Shonn Greene should be there at No. 50 overall. He loses some value with the addition of Tim Tebow, who could take away goal-line touches, but he doesn't have to worry about sharing carries much in what should be the most run-oriented offense in the NFL. The standard owner should continue to focus on running back going forward. In PPR leagues, there isn't a great running back that jumps off the board, so getting a standout receiver at flex is a good move. We like Brandon Lloyd's potential in New England in staying with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and catching passes from Tom Brady.Players you can get here: Tony Romo, Reggie Bush, Shonn Greene, Isaac Redman, Brandon Lloyd, Antonio GatesMy selection at No. 50 standard: Shonn GreeneMy selection at No. 50 PPR: Brandon Lloyd

Your running back corps is starting to take shape in the standard league with Rice, Greene and Hillis, so you can take a look at your No. 3 receiver or tight end here. Reggie Wayne loses value without Peytong Manning, but he should still remain heavily involved with rookie quarterback Andrew Luck. And since the Colts will likely be trailing a lot, he should see plenty of targets. In the PPR league, you might want to lock up your quarterback here, especially after the owner at No. 1 overall just selected Philip Rivers. Now is a good time to pull the trigger on Manning, who is the last Top 10 quarterback on the board.There is obvious risk with Manning based on his neck problems, but all offseason reports have been glowing, which should make him a steal at this selection.Players you can get here: Peyton Manning, Stevan Ridley, C.J. Spiller, Jonathan Stewart, Ben Tate, Robert Meachem, Reggie Wayne, Fred DavisMy selection at No. 74 standard: Reggie WayneMy selection at No. 74 PPR: Peyton Manning

This is the spot to take the best player available, and it's a good idea to take a flier on someone you think will pop off at some time during the year or just fell too far on Draft Day. In both leagues, receiver appears to be a strong point with Green, Bryant, Wayne and Rice in the standard format and Green, Lloyd, Decker and LaFell in the PPR league. We'll take another running back here, and backing up Rice is a good idea with Bernard Pierce, who is a rookie from Temple. If you draft Rice in Round 1 it's a good idea to handcuff him with Pierce with a late-round pick. In the PPR league, we'll take a flier on rookie tight end Coby Fleener, who should be a valuable weapon for Luck. I don't usually draft two tight ends, but Fleener could be an excellent flex option in PPR formats.Players you can get here: Bernard Pierce, Kevin Smith, Bernard Scott, Chad Ochocinco, Alshon Jeffery, Jon Baldwin, Mario Manningham, Coby Fleener, Owen DanielsMy selection at No. 143 standard: Bernard PierceMy selection at No. 143 PPR: Coby Fleener

Round 13

Standard

QB

0%

RB

0%

WR

0%

TE

0%

K

20%

DST

80%

PPR

QB

0%

RB

0%

WR

0%

TE

0%

K

20%

DST

80%

In any draft you are in with me, I will always take a DST and kicker with my last two picks barring any wacky scoring rules. For both of these leagues, we'll keep to that same formula and go with a DST here. Based on ADP, we're looking at the Steelers, Packers, Jets, Giants and Lions. The Steelers went to the owner at No. 1 overall, so we'll settle for the Packers.Players you can get here: Packers DST, Giants DST, Jets DST, Lionss DST, Stephen Gostkowski, Mason Crosby, Matt Prater, Dan BaileyMy selection at No. 146 standard: Packers DSTMy selection at No. 146 PPR: Packers DST